Carrier



Oct. 27, 1953 CARRIER 4 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Sept. l5, 1950 m m m m m v Y u f f f m f E m w m L 4, 4. WHW MM 3 QV WML. TZ L wm... T2 m n m x mx m dwf fm To 6m. Nl M. m Z (fm1 vw A@ www M m u m m w A, M M M M W w www ATTORNEYS G. C. CURRIE Oct. 27, 1953 CARRIER 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. l5. 1950 INVENTOR;

ATTORNEYJ` G. c. CURRIE Oct. 27, 1953 CARRIER Filed sept. 415. 195o 4 Sheets-Shee'vI 5 INVENTOR g GRO/5R C. Camz/f'.

ATTGRNEYJ Oct. 27, 1953 G. c. CURRIE 2,656,959

CARRIER Filed Sept. l5, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR GRO/ff? C. CURP/E.

BY IM+M ATTORNEYJ Patented Oct. 27, 1953 CARRIER Grover C. Currie, Charlotte, N. C., assignor to Dacam Corporation, Charlotte, N. C., a corporation of North Carolina Application September 15, 1950, Serial No. 185,072

Claims. 1

This invention relates to an improved carrier or carton for a plurality of cylindrically-shaped containers such as beer cans and the like.

It is an object of this invention to provide a carrier formed of a single piece of material .and so out and scored as to permit the `same to be folded into an elongated rectangular tube with a pair of outwardly projecting handle portions disposed longitudinally of the carrier Vand in alinement with each other. The handle portions are also scored at their juncture with the tube thus formed so as to be folded against one of the walls of the tube to permit a plurality of such carriers to be placed within a common package or box in side-by-side or superposed relation.

It is another object of this invention to provide a carrier of the type described having'front, rear, top and bottom panels and in which all of the panels are cut intermediate their ends to form two carton sections in alinement with each other except the rear panel thereof which is perforated or scored intermediate its ends so as to permit the two sections to be folded along the score line back to back against each other. The carrier is also provided with handle portions extending from the rear panel sections and having openings therein whereby, upon the two sections of the carton being folded back to back against each other, the openings in said handle portions will coincide substantially with each other to thus provide a compact carrier which may be carried from one place to .another by an operator grasping said handle portions.

`Some of the objects of the invention having been stated, other objects will appear as the vdescription proceeds when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which- Figure 1 is :an elevation of the blank from which the carrier is formed and showing the manner in which it is cut and scored;

Figure 2 is an isometric view of the carrier partially erected and having a plurality of cylindrically-shaped articles or containers therein;

Figure 3 is an enlarged isometric view similar to Figure 2 but showing the step in erection following the placing of the cylindricallyshaped containers therein;

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3, at a reduced scale, showing the handle portions of the carrier in folded position against one of the Walls of the carrier;

Figure 5 is an isometric view showing a package or carton in dotted lines and showing a plurality of the carriers stacked within the package illustrating the manner in which they may be stored or shipped from one place to another;

Figure 6 is an isometric view showing the two sections of the carrier in partially folded position;

Figure 7 is an enlarged isometric view of the completed carrier in fully folded position for manually carrying from one place to another and showing the top, one side and one end thereof;

Figure 8 is a View similar to Figure 7 but showing the opposite side and end of the carrier from that shown in Figure 7 and also looking up at the bottom of the carrier;

Figure 9 is an enlarged sectional plan view through the carrier` showing the manner in which the cylindrically-shaped containers are housed within the carrier and being taken substantially :along the line 9 9 in Figure 7.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, the numeral I0 broadly designates a substantially rectangular blank of cardboard or similar plyable material from which the carrier is formed. The blank II] is cut and scored in such a manner as to provide a pair of substantially symmetrical carton sections which are also broadly designated at II and I2, respectively. The juncture of these carton sections, which may be hereinafter referred to as a iirst section II and a second section I2, is defined by a straight line of closely spaced perforations i 3 which extends from the upper end of the blank I0 in Figure 1 and terminates intermediate the ends thereof at one end of a cut line I4, this line I4 :also extending to a point indicated at I5 adjacent the lower end of the blank Il). It will be noted that the upper and lower ends of the blank III in Figure 1 are provided with substantially V- shaped notches I6 :and I 1, respectively, which Idefine the proximate edges of handle portions 20 and 2| and 22 and 23 respectively.

It will be noted that an imperforate score line '24 which extends from the point I5 to the notch I1 defines one end of the cut line I4 extending to the lower end of the carrier blank IU. The purpose of the Variations in the lines I3, I4 and 24, dening the juncture of the sections II and I2 will be later described.

It will be observed in Figure 1 that the lines I3, I4 :and 24 extend longitudinally of the blank Ill and the blank IU is also provided with transversely extending score lines, the first section II being provided with transverse score lines '25 to 29, inclusive, and the second section I2 being provided with score lines 25a to 29a, in-

clusive, which are in alinement with and are extensions of the respective score lines 25 to 29, inclusive, in the rst section Il and are also in alinement therewith. The score lines 25, 25a define the inner edges of the respective handle forming portions 2U, 2| and the score lines '29, '29a dene the inner edges of the respective handle forming portions 22, 23.

It will be noted that the corners of the blank IB are rounded or cut away to coincide substantially with the proximate edges of the handle portions 25, 2|, 22 and 23 defined by the respective notches I5 and I1. Also, the handle forming portions 2D and 2l are provided with coinciding centrally located openings 33 and 34, respectively, while the handle forming portions 22 and 23 have respective cut lines 35 and 36 therein which may coincide or be in alinement with portions of the respective score lines 29 and 29a, if so desired. However, these cut lines 35 and 36 need not necessarily be disposed in alinement with the score lines 29 and 25a. This is also true of the lower or inner edges of the openings 33 and 34 with respect to the respective score lines 25 and 25a.

The cut lines 35 and 35 each extend along a portion of the sections Il and i2, respectively, and

curve downwardly at each end in Figure 1 and terminate at opposed ends of respective score lines 43 and 4l, thus defining respective iiaps 42 and 43 which are hinged along the respective score lines and 4l.

The score lines 25 and 26 and 21 and 23 denne opposed edges of respective rear and front panels 44 and 45. The score lines 25a and 26a and 2id and 23a deiine OpDOSed edges of respective rear and front panels 44a and 45a. The score lines 25, 25a and 21, 21a define opposed edges of respective bottom panels 46 and 45a. The score lines 28 and 29 and 23a and 25a define opposed edges of respective top panels 41 and 41a.

Since the present carrier is particularly adapted for carrying cylindrically-shaped articles, such as cans, which are indicated at in Figures 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8 and 9, the score lines 23, 21, 23a and 21a are interrupted by a plurality of substantially identical spaced cut lines 52 which define a plurality of projections 53 extending from opposed sides of the bottom panels 46 and 48a. Similar spaced cut lines 54 define a plurality of spaced proj ections along the score lines 28 and 23a and the purpose of the projections 53 and 55 will be later described.

Having thus described the blank i0, a discussion will now be given of the manner in which the carrier is erected and the cylindrically-shaped articles or containers 5d are placed therein. It might be stated that although three cylindricallyshaped articles 53 are shown in each of the sections H and I2, or a total of six articles in the assembled or erected carrier, any desired number of cylindrically-'shaped articles to be carried thereby.

Figure 2 best illustrates the position and state of erection of the carrier blank in which it is preferred that the cylindrically-shaped articles or containers be placed therein.

It will be noted that the carrier is preferably placed with the front panels or walls 45 and 45a` facing downwardly and the top and bottom panels 41 and 41a and 46, 45a are bent upwardly along their respective score lines 28, 23a and 21, Tlc into right angular relation with the front panels 45 and 45a. At this time, the handle portions 22 and 23 are also bent outwardly along the respective score lines 25 and 29a into substantially right angular relation to the respective top panels 41 and 41a.

Thus with the carrier in the position shown in Figure 2, the containers or articles 55 may then be placed in the upper surfaces of the front panels 45, 45a and it is preferred that the length or height of the articles or containers 5!! be substantially the same as that of the height of the front panels 45, 45a so opposed ends of the containers or articles 55 may rest against the top and bottom panels 41, 41a and 45, 46a, respectively, of the carrier.

The spacing of the proje-ctions 53 and 55 on the respective bottom and top panels 46, 45a and 41, 41a is such that the opposed ends of the cylindrically-shaped containers 55 will be disposed in alinement therewith when they are placed on the upper surfaces of the front panels 45, 45a, in juxtaposed relation to each other.

In order to insure that the cans 55 may be held within the confines of front and rear panels 45, 45a and 44, 44a, it is preferable that the diameter of each of the cans 53 should be somewhat greater than the width of the bottom and top panels 45, 46a and 41, 41a, respectively. This will cause the side panels 44, 44d and 45, 45a to bulge outwardly a small amount as is clearly shown in Figure 9, this being made possible by the cut lines 52 and 5.4. The respective projections 53 and 54 on the bottom and top panels 4S, 46a and 41, 41a, then serve to aline opposed edges of the containers 55.

Each of the containers 55 is preferably of a type which has its top and bottom seanied thereon thus providing seams 51 which may project through the openings dened by the cut lines 52 and 54 when the respective panels 45, 45a and 45, 45a are in erected position as shown in Figures 3 to 9, inclusive. These cutout portions defined by the cut lines 52 and 54 also permit the side panels to bulge outwardly a small amount, as at E@ (Figures 3 and 9) adjacent each of the cans 55 when the carrier is erected.

Referring now to Figure 3, it will be observed that following the placing of the cans 50 in the carton, the rear panels 44, 44a are then folded into right angular relation with the bottom panels 46, 46a and atop the cans 50 along the respective score lines 25, 26a, resulting in the inner or front faces of the handle portions 25 and 2|' engaging the inner or rear faces of the handle portions 22 and 23. The handle portions 2li and 2| may be adhesively or otherwise suitably secured to the handle portions 22 and 23. In Figure 3, the handle portions 20 and 2l are illustrated as being secured to the handle portions 22 and 23 by staples indicated at 6I. These, incidentally, are the only points at which the panels are secured together, the manner in which the carrier is erected eliminating the necessity of gluing or otherwise securing any of the other panels in fixed relation to each other. With the handle portions thus secured to each other, a carrier in the forrn of an elongated substantially rectangular tube is formed.

Now, referring to Figure 5, there is shown in dotted lines a shipping case, carton, package or the like designated at 52 and which may have closure flaps 54 hingedly connected thereto which may be folded in overlapping relation to each other for closing the normally open end or side of the shipping carton 52. The case 62 being shown to illustrate one manner in which a plurality of carriers may be shipped.

in order to provide a compact package to permit stacking and/or shipping of a plurality of the lled carriers formed of a plurality of the blanks I0 shown in Figure 1, the handle portions 22 and 23 may be folded downwardly in Figure 3 against the outer surfaces of the respective top panels 41 and 41a as shown in Figure 4, the corresponding handle portions and 2l being secured to the handle portions 22 and 23 so that all of the handle portions 20 Iand 23 will assume the position shown in Figure 4 in superposed relation to the top panels 4l, 41a. Thus a plurality of the carriers in the condition shown in Figure 4, may be inserted in a package 62 after which the closure flaps E4 may be folded thereagainst to complete the package for shipping purposes. The completed package 62, in the condition described, may be placed in stores for display and sale along with other commodities.

Upon removing a carrier from the shipping case 62, it may be folded along the perforated score line I3, inasmuch es the out line I4 extends along the proximate edges of the top panels 4l, 41a, the front panels 45, a and the bottom panels 4S and 4ta. A carrier partially folded along the perforated score line I3 is shown in Figure 6 illustrating a step in the final erection of the carrier. The cans have been omitted from the carrier shown in Figure 6 for purposes of clarity.

Due to the fact that the cut line I4 (Figure l) terminates at the point I5, which is the juncture of the handle portions 29 and 29a with the top panels 4l and 41a, and the blank I0 is merely scored at the juncture of the handle portions 22 and 23, it is merely necessary for a person to swing the two sections I I and I2 apart from each other, creasing them at the perforated score lines I3 and I4, to substantially the position shown in Figure 6 with the rear panels 44 and 44a in juxtaposed relation to each other. The handle portions 2i), 22 and 2 I, 23 to swing upwardly away from the top panels 41 and 41a into substantially right-angular relation to the top panels 4l and 41a, when the rear panels 44 and 44a are folded back to back substantially against each other as shown in Figures 7, 8 and 9 for carrying purposes.

It will be observed in Figure 3 that the flaps 42 and 43 of the respective handle portions 22 and 23 are slightly smaller than the iinger openings 33 and 34 in the respective handle portions 23 and 2| with the `result that, upon swinging the two carton sections II and I2 into the position shown in Figures 7, 8 and 9, the flaps 42 and 43 Ymay be folded within the openings 33 and 34 to substantially the position shown in Figure 7 to thus provide an opening through which a persons fingers may extend for carrying the lled carrier.

It is evident that the carrier may be partially folded into substantially the position shown in Figure 6 for display purposes if desired, which would not only display the contents of the carton but would also display the advantages of a carrier of this type.

If desired, the carton sections I I and I2 may be separated along the perforate line I3 and the score line 24. Thus, for example, a customer desiring to buy only three cans of beer or the like need not buy six cans but can separate the carton sections II and I2 and purchase only three cans in a half carton having a handle portion for carrying.

It is thus seen that I have provided a carrier which may be made from a single piece of material and which is so scored and cut as to be easily lled with cylindrically-shaped containers, such as beer cans and the like, and which may, further, be folded into an elongated compact unit in which the cylindrically-shaped containers are tightly locked and whereby a plurality of the carriers may be packed in stacked relation to each other to form a compact package for shipping purposes. A carrier of this type may be readily used with automatic machinery for folding the blank as it is filled with containers as shown in Figure 2 and passing the carrier vthrough the sequence of operation illustrated in Figures l to 5, inclusive, for automatically packing a plurality of containers for shipping purposes in such a manner that the carriers would be easily accessible in the cases when packed as shown in Figure 5. The carriers could then be easily passed through the sta-ge shown in Figure 6 to the stage shown in Figure 7 to greatly enhance the usefulness of the carrier and to present an attractive appear ance from a sales standpoint.

It is `also evident, that, if so desired, the stitching, in the form of staples 5I, may be easily removed to enable the carton to again be laid out in the form shown in Figure l preparatory to again being filled with cylindrically-shaped containers thus facilitating its use over and over again.

In the drawings and specification, there has been set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention, and although, specific terms are employed, they areused in a generic and descriptive sense only, and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being defined in the claims.

I claim:

1. A carrier having a bottom panel, a front panel hingedly connected to one edge of the bottom panel, a rear panel hingedly connected to the other edge of the bottom panel and having a handle portion hingedly connected thereto, a top panel hingedly connected to the front panel and having a handle portion hingedly connected thereto, means securing the handle portion of the top panel to the handle portion of the rear panel, said bottom and top panels and the iront panel being severed intermediate their ends and said rear panel being perforated intermediate its ends in alinement with the point of severance of the other panels to divide the carton into first and second sections, the rear panel being foldable upon itself to position the first and second sections in side by side relation to each other, said top panels being imperforate and extending in right angular relation to said front and rear panels and in parallel relation to said bottom panels.

2. An article carrier having a bottom panel, a front panel hingedly connected to one edge of the bottom panel, a rear panel hingedly connected to the other edge of the bottom panel, a top panel hingedly connected to the edge of the front panel remote from lthe bottom panel, a first handle portion hingedly connected to the edge of the rear panel remote from the bottom panel, a second handle portion hingedly connected to the edge of the top panel remote from the edge which is hingedly connected to the front panel, said first handle portion normally extending in alinement with the rear panel, means securing the second handle portion to the rst handle portion, the second handle portion normally extending substantially at right angles to the top panel and in closely spaced parallel relation to the rst handle portion, said front, top and bottom panels being separated intermediate their ends and said rear 7 panel and said handle portions being .perfonated intermediate their A"ends to permit said carrier to Ilbe separated into ftwo tubular sections.

3. rAn article carrier having a 'bottom panel,

.a `front panel hinged'ly vconnected to vone edge Iof the bottom panel, 'a rear 'panel hingedly `connected to the 'other edge of the bottom panel,

a top panel `hingedly connected to the edge of lthe `front panel remote from the bottom panel, a -rs`t handle portion hingedly connected to :the edge @of the `rear 'panel remote 'from the bottom `panel, a 4second handle portion hingedly connected to the ledge of the top panel remote from the edge which is -hingedly connected to the front panel, said 'first handle portion normally 'extend-ing in alinement with the rear panel, -m'e'ans securing the second handle portion to the rs't handle portion, the `second handle portion extending substantially at right angles to the top 'panel and Ain closely spaced parallel relation vto the nrst handle portion, said front, top and bottom panels being 'severed intermediate their ends, the rear panel being perforated intermediate its ends and the first and second handle portions being scored intermediate their ends in alinement with the .point of `severance of the top, bottom and front panels whereby said carrier may be folded upon itself along 'the perforations 'on the rear panel and the scores lto -form two carrier sections hingedly secured to each other 'in -closely spaced parallel relation and separable into individual units.

4. An article carrier having a bottom panel, a front panel hin'gedly connected to one edge of the bottom panel, a rear panel hingedly connected to--the other edge of the bottom panel, a top panel hingedly connected to the edge of the front panel remote from 'the bottom panel, a first handle portion hingedly connected 'to the edge vof the rear panel remote from the bottom panel, a second handle portion hingedly iconnected to the edge of the Stop panel 'remote from the edge which is hinge'd'ly connected to the front panel, said first handle por-tion normally extending in alinement with lthe rear panel, means securing the second Ahandle 'portion to the first handle portion, the second handle portion extending substantially at right angles 'to the top panel and in closely spaced parallel 'relation to the rst handle portion, one of said handle portions lhaving `openings therein -and the l'otlrier `of said -handle portions having openings rtherein 4adapted to coincide with the openings in the other Vof the handle portions, `at least one of the Yhand-le portions having flaps hingedly secured thereto and extending into sa-id enenings 'and said la'ps being foldable -to extend Yof the top, bottom and front panels whereby said carrier may be folded `upon 'itself along the perforations on the rear ,panel and the scores on the handle portions to -:form two carrier sections hingedly 'secured to each other in 'closely spaced parallel relation and separable into individual units.

5. A carrier for cylindrical objects formed from 'a single substantially rectangular blank Aout and scored to denne an elongated vrectangularly-shaped rear panel, a relatively narrow elongated rectangularlye'shaped bottom extending at right angles from the lower vedge 0f the rear panel, the lower edge of the rear panel having a plurality of `spaced openings therein vat its juncture with the bottom, a front panel of the 'same dimensions as the rear panel extending at right angles from the front edge lof the bottom i'n spaced parallel relation to `the rear panel vand having a plurality of Aspaced openings at its upper and .lower 'edges in alinement with the Aopenings in the rear panel, a top panel of the same .di-

rnen'sions as the 4bottomLlpanel extending at right angles from the upper edge of 'said -front panel 'and 1in vspaced parallel relation to said bottom, .handle members secured to the proximate edges vot said rear and ltop panels, means for `connect- ?ing the handle 'members to forman elongated article-receiving tube which is rectangular in cross-section, said top, front and bottom panels being divided intermediate their ends, and said rear panel being foldable Vintermediate 'its ends at a point in alinement with the 'division of said other panels to permit the -elongated tube to be folded into two juxtaposed article-receiv- -ifng sections.

'GROVER C. CURRIE.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,968,877 Cub'berle'y Aug. "Z, 1934 2,222,211 Arneson Nov. 19, 1940 2,523,985 IFoster 1 Sept. 26, 195i) 2,524,517 Cole Oct. 3, '1950 2,529,675 Brulin Nov. 14, V1950 2,559,948 Currie July 10,1951 

